Healing
by The Lonely Geek
Summary: Sequel to River's Last Song. Bill may have left the Doctor, but that doesn't mean the Doctor gave up on her. She misses her and wants her to travel with her again, but Bill needs healing. The Doctor decides to take her to the person Bill knows best and least, but will it be enough to persuade her to travel with the Doctor again?
1. Chapter 1

**I started writing this almost as soon as I finished River's Last Song, but I didn't want to upload it until I finished it because I knew updates would be really irregular, but I finally finished it today, so here's the first chapter. There's only four chapters of the story, and none of them are particularly long, but I never intended for this story to be that long.**

 **When I was writing this I tried to focus on the Doctor's new regeneration a lot and was trying to show her personality. I watched quite a few episodes of Dr Who as I've been writing this. I've realised with each doctor, they are all completely different, but they all have similar lines. It's how they're said that makes their personality. Some of the lines she says may be similar to those of other doctors, but that doesn't make her the same as them.**

 **I've been writing this on my phone, so if there are grammatical errors, sorry, I did proof read it though so it shouldn't be too horrendous. I hope you enjoy and please let me know what you think.**

 **Chapter 1**

 **Bill's POV**

I wish she would stop trying to contact me. I just want to cut myself off from that old life. It's been six months since the Doctor dropped me back on Earth. Six months since I've stopped travelling and have gone back to normal life. Six months since I said goodbye to my best friend.

It's been pretty hard adjusting back to normal life. I mean it would be, one day travelling the stars and running all around the universe, the next serving chips in the cafeteria. She still does lectures at the university, the Doctor I mean. She looks completely different now obviously, but because he never turned up to give lectures so they advertised the job and she came back and applied for the job and got it. I don't listen the lectures any more. It reminds me too much of the good times we had together.

She keeps trying to talk to me. I just ignore her. She once even came to the cafeteria when I was serving and bought some chips and tried to talk to me then. I gave her all the burnt ones and told her that she needed to move on because she was causing a backlog by stopping me from serving the chips. She smiled sadly and walked off. If I walk past her office, I sometimes see the old, blue Police Public Call Box.

I miss that life, but I can't go back to it. I can't. Not if every time stuff gets dangerous the Doctor is just going to drop me back on Earth like I'm a toddler. I can look after myself. Sure, she may not be able to guarantee my safety, but maybe the risk is worth it. I think it is and if she doesn't? Well it's not her call to make. It's my life. If I want to live on the dangerous side then who is she to tell me I can't?

 **The Doctor's POV**

I'm starting to give up on ever getting Bill to travel with me again. I think she hates me. She doesn't understand though. It was too dangerous. I couldn't just watch the Master kill her. They couldn't have killed me, I was still regenerating. But Bill, he would have definitely killed her. To get to me. It's probably better like this. I think I might quit my job at the university soon. It's just too painful whenever I see Bill. She acts like I'm not there. She's stopped coming to my lectures too. I always look out for her among the sea of faces. She never comes though.

I don't know what I can do to get her back. Maybe I can't. But I have to give it one last shot. I shouldn't do what I'm going to do, but I have to. I miss Bill. And I think, though she'd never admit it, she misses it too.

I get up from my desk and get into the T.A.R.D.I.S. I push the doors closed behind me. This is the only thing I can think of that might work. I didn't want to have to do it, but I don't want her to go. I don't want to travel alone. I've been told too many times that I shouldn't do that. Maybe it's time to listen. Or maybe I've just lived too long. That's the curse of a time lord who runs away from Galifrey you see. And for me, it's worse than anyone else. I have more regenerations than usual. They were a gift. I think now they may also be a curse.

If River had never fired that gun at Missy, I would have never taken the bullet for her. If that hadn't happened I would have probably forgotten about the danger. Regeneration is a wake up call. What if Bill got shot at and I couldn't save her.

 **Bill's POV**

When I dream the familiar noise of the T.A.R.D.I.S haunts me. It stalks me wherever I go. In my dream I am with Heather again. She never looked into the puddle and she is still around. She's laughing and the sun catches on her eye defect, making it glitter, making it look even more like a star. The sound of the T.A.R.D.I.S drowns out the noise of her sweet laughter though. Then she takes hold of my shoulders.

"Wake up Bill!" She says loudly, yelling above the noise of the T.A.R.D.I.S. "Wake up." Then I am torn from my dream and I wake up in bed and realise that Heather was never really here. She visits me often in dreams though. I don't go a week without her visiting me in my dream. I wonder if it is her. Whether she can somehow link into my dreams now she's space oil. Maybe she can do that now. I mean she can get across the universe, so it could happen. Maybe I just miss her and it's just my subconscious trying to make up for the fact I miss her.

Then I realise the whirring of the T.A.R.D.I.S hasn't stopped. I go to my window and peer out of the blinds. I can just make out a police public call box in the light of a street lamp. A woman gets out and comes to my house. She stands by the door for a couple of seconds, I can't make out what she's doing though. A second later I hear a letter drop onto the doormat and the woman walks back into the box again. The whirring starts up again and the blue box fades into nothingness.

I go and get the letter and turn the lamp on in my room to read it. I drop it on my desk and turn it over. I read the front and it says 'Bill Potts' in swirly writing. Regeneration really does change everything, Before I could barely read his writing. I open the envelope and read the letter.

 _Dear Bill,_

 _I know that you're still angry with me. I get that. I know you want me to stay away, but I miss you. I've been told many times that I should never travel alone, so now you've been gone, I've not travelled much._

 _I know you hate me, and that's okay, but please give me another chance. I want to take you to meet someone. Someone who I know is very special to you. Your mum. You never got to meet her, and I want to change that. I want to take you to the past and let you get to know her. You may have missed out on a childhood without her, but that doesn't mean you never have to know her._

 _I can take you to your mum. Before you toss this letter in the bin, thinking that it's just a ploy to get you back, please consider it. If you want to, I won't expect you to come travelling with me again.. I miss you yes, and I think you miss it too. I want to remind you of how it used to be. If you want though, I can just drop you back off after you've seen your mum._

 _With love always_

 _The Doctor_

I don't know what to do. I want to see my mum. Of course I do, but... I feel like it is just a ploy to get me back. I could just see my mum and come back to my ordinary life though. I deicide to turn to the person I go to when I need advice. Mum. My made up mum.

"What should I do?" I ask her, but she's not here. She doesn't answer. I think I know what I should do. I think I always have, ever since I left the T.A.R.D.I.S. I miss that life. Maybe I should give her another chance. I'll see. I think I will go to see my mum. Then decide about the Doctor.

 **There was a few details I was a little hazy on when I was writing it, and I don't have Series 10 on DVD yet so I couldn't check. I also couldn't find many articles on Bill's mum so there may be a few mistakes regarding stuff to do with her. One article said something about the Doctor going back in time and taking photos of her, which I never remember happening, so if it did happen, in this version, it never happened. Please let me know what you think though.**


	2. Chapter 2

**This chapter's really short but it's mainly because I wanted another chapter setting up for going to see Bill's mum. I forgot to say last time, I'm going to be updating every Saturday. I hope you enjoy and please let me know what you think.**

 **Chapter 2**

 **The Doctor's POV**

It doesn't take long for me to get a reply. I go back to my office after my morning lecture and find a plate of chips there. They're still warm. Next to the plate is a scrap of paper with one hastily scribbled word on it – fine. I grin to myself. I knew exactly who it was from.

 **Bill's POV**

I creep in a few minutes late into one of the Doctor's lectures. I take a seat at the back and sit down to listen. I wonder what she's supposed to be talking on. I'm betting it's not on how reality could all just be a mirage. I miss her crazy lectures. She starts to look around at us as if she's actually realised we're here.

"For example, you." She points at me. "What time are you going to eat dinner with your mum on Saturday?" She's really asking when I want to be picked up. I'm not stupid. Even if she pretends I am sometimes.

"6:30." I reply. I'm going out with friends in the early afternoon, but I should be back by then.

"So as an example for everyone in here, you have dinner with your mum at 6:30 every Saturday. You think you always have. But what if you don't? What if you never have? What if none of this is real and you imagine you do all these things. What if I am imagining giving this lecture right here right now? What if you are all imagining me giving you this lecture? What if none of us are real? What if we're all imaginary?" Wow. The Doctor has not got any less confusing since I left her.

 **The Doctor's POV**

I've done it. She's actually agreed. I can hardly believe this has worked. I've persuaded Bill to come into the T.A.R.D.I.S with me for one last journey. One last adventure. And she's agreed. She hasn't agreed to anything more, but maybe she'll realise how much she's missed life in the T.A.R.D.I.S. and come back. Even if she doesn't though, at least we'll have chance to say a proper goodbye. We won't have ended on a low.

I'm really tempted to just hop into the T.A.R.D.I.S and go to Saturday, but Bill has to wait for the next few days to pass, so I will too. I hope it will all work out okay and her mum won't freak or anything. I'll probably have to go out of the T.A.R.D.I.S and speak to her first, but then Bill can talk to her. Bill never had her mum there for her in her childhood, and that's not her fault, but she's a good person. She should get to know her mum. She shouldn't have to make up what her mum's like. She deserves better than an imaginary friend. She's too old for imaginary. So I will give her better.

I really hope this works. I didn't realise how much I missed travelling with her until now. Now I might have a chance of getting her back. Now things might go back to normal again.


	3. Chapter 3

**There's only one more chapter after this, I was originally going to have this chapter as the last one and just tweak the ending slightly but had another idea for it which will be in the next chapter. Please let me know what you think.**

 **Chapter 3**

 **Rosie Potts' POV (Bill's mum)**

A strange whirring noise starts up from outside. I go into the kitchen to see what it is. Probably something from a silly kids game. When I look out the window I see an old Police Public Call Box, which I'm sure wasn't here when I got in from work earlier. I probably wasn't paying attention though. I mean why would I? I wonder what it's doing here though.

Ding! Dong! Ding! Dong! The doorbell goes. I'm not expecting anyone, it's probably just a friend who left something the other day, but when I open the door a woman I've never seen before is standing there.

"Can I help you?" I ask her.

"It's complicated, can I come in and explain." I nod, and let her in.

"Can I get you a drink or anything?" I ask, showing her into the lounge. She shakes her head. "Now, how can I help?"

"This is going to sound very bizarre, but hear me out, please." She says sitting in the armchair. "My name's the Doctor, and I'm an alien." I bite my lip to stop myself from bursting out laughing. An alien, seriously? "I know you think I'm mad, but feel." She grabs my hand and puts it on her chest. I feel her steady heartbeat.

"So what?" I ask. She moves my hand to the other side of her chest.

"Woah." I say, feeling another heartbeat there. "Two hearts."

"I'm a time lord from the planet of Galifrey. It's galaxies away from here. But I have a time machine, I call it the T.A.R.D.I.S. Time and relative dimension in space. I travel and pick up different friends, and one of them is your daughter." What is she going on about? I only did the pregnancy test today? I hadn't even told Lucas yet.

"I don't-" I start, but she breaks me off.

"I have a time machine."

"Oh."

"In about 9 and a half months time you are going to give birth to an amazing daughter. She's going to grow up to be one of my closest friends, but something happens. I can't say what, there are laws of time. It would get too messy. But your daughter never knew you. When she grew up she imagined what you would be like, but she never really knew. I wanted to bring her to meet you once, so she could know what you are really like."

"I-I, why aren't I there?" I ask. "I'm always gonna be there for my child. I'll always look after her."

"I can't say," The Doctor says shaking her head. "But do you want to meet your daughter?" I nod. I don't know why I'm not going to be there for her, but I want to meet her. If I can't watch her grow up, for whatever reason, I want to see her all grown up. And I want to know that I will love her. That even if I'm never there with her in person, I am always going to be with her.

 **Bill's POV**

I'm super nervous now I'm actually going to meet her. I'm actually going to meet my mum. For the first time since I was 6 months old, I am going to meet my mum. The front door opens and the Doctor smiles.

"She would love to see you." I practically run in and the Doctor shows me to the living room. A woman who looks about 5 years older than me but almost identical to me is sitting there. Her eyes light up as I walk in. I run to her and she pulls me into her. She pulls me to her chest and hugs me.

"Hi Mum." I whisper as we pull apart.

"My beautiful girl. I'm so sorry I haven't been here for you. The Doctor can't tell me why, but I am so sorry."

"It's not your fault." I say. She couldn't help getting breast cancer and dying while I was in her arms when I was 6 months. If she could have been there for me, then she would have. Or at least my imaginary mum would have.

"It's weird, I only just found out that I'm pregnant today." Mum says.

"I'll be back in a couple of hours." The Doctor says, and leaves Mum and I together.

"I can order out for take-away." Mum says. "What do you like?" She asks.

"I don't mind, whatever you want." I say. I couldn't care less what we eat. I'm eating with my mum. So many people take it for granted, but I never got to eat with my real mum.

"Pizza then." She smiles.

"My favourite." I say. I always imagined Mum would like pizza. I imagined us eating it every Saturday whilst watching a film together.

Ding! Dong! The bell rings a few hours later. I look at the clock and see how late it's getting. I didn't even notice. Mum opens the door and the Doctor comes in.

"You should get going." Mum smiles, pulling me in for a hug.

"I don't want to." I say. Mum and I have spent the evening laughing and chatting and she's almost exactly how I imagined her. Only better.

"I know sweetheart, but you have your own life to be getting on with." She says. "I can't hold you back."

"I love you." I say. "I may have only known you for a few hours, but I love you."

"I love you too. And Bill," She says, looking at me, her eyes glistening with tears.

"Yes."

"I'm sorry I was never there."

"You were always there," I say, and as cliché as it sounds. I point to my heart. "You were here." A tear falls from her eye as she closes the door. I turn to the Doctor as we walk back to the T.A.R.D.I.S.

"Thank you. I want to go back now." I need to decide whether I should travel with the Doctor or not now. I need time to make that decision. She messed up and hurt me, but she let me meet my mum in real life.

"There's one more place I want to take you." She says. My heart grows heavy. I should have known she'd try this.

"Just take me home."

"Please," She says, grabbing my wrist as I try to walk into the T.A.R.D.I.S. "Trust me. For old times' sake. You won't regret it." I sigh, but nod. As long as she takes me home afterwards.


	4. Chapter 4

**Thank you Akihiro1997 for always reviewing, as to your point on the last chapter, I don't know much about pregnancy so sorry about the timings being wrong, I'll go back when I get chance and change the timings slightly so that it still works.**

 **Please let me know what you think.**

 **So without further ado, here is the last chapter.**

 **Chapter 4**

 **Bill's POV**

We go into the familiar console room and she starts her up. We are thrown around as she flies the T.A.R.D.I.S to wherever it is she's taking me.

"I'll wait here." She says. "Come back when you're ready, but take as long as you need." I step out, wondering what she means. I go out and realise I'm in a storage cupboard, I get out and am in a long corridor. I look up and down, wondering where the Doctor has brought me.

"Lost?" Someone asks, coming out of a door opposite me. "Oh, you must be here to see Rosie Potts." She says, looking at me properly. "You two look very alike, you a relative?" I nod, and she holds the door open for me to go in. "She's on the bed at the end."

"Excuse me, what date is it?" I ask her. She gives me a funny look.

"16th July 1991." She says. I swallow. I know why the Doctor has bought me here.

"Thank you." I say and walk through the hospital ward to the bed that, according to the clock on the wall, my mum will die on in 7 minutes. I walk over, she's got her eyes closed, but she's holding a baby wrapped up in a blanket that is sleeping. A nurse is monitoring her.

"Mum?" I whisper, sitting down on the plastic chair near the bed. She opens her eyes and looks at me.

"Bill?" She says. "I understand why I'm not there for you any more." She winces as she holds out the baby for me to hold. "Could you take her for me?"

"I think it might create a paradox if I touched her." I say. "Sorry."

"It's not you who should be sorry. Lucas left after I was diagnosed, he couldn't cope. Who's going to look after you now?" She asks.

"I cope." I say. "I get put in care and am fostered almost straight away by a woman called Moira. I grow up wondering what it would be like to have a real Mum and one day I meet a crazy time travelling alien and we go on adventures together."

"Not exactly a normal life." Mum smiles.

"Who likes normal?" I grin.

"Exactly, normal is boring." She looks across at the heart monitor near her. "They say I haven't got much longer left to live. They asked if I had any last requests, so I asked for them to bring me you. I wanted to make sure you were here. I wanted to see you as I died."

"Well now you get to see two of us." She smiles weakly.

"True. Do you know how much longer I have?" She asks. I look at the clock.

"Three minutes." I reply. A tear trickles down her cheek.

"There's so much more I want to tell you."

"You don't need to." I say. "I already know what you need to say."

"You're such a strong girl." She says. "My little baby."

"I love you Mum." I say.

"There's not much time so listen up. You and the Doctor fell out, I can tell, don't deny it. She bought you to see me as a way of showing how much she misses you."

"Mum you're dying, haven't you got more important things to talk about." I don't want to upset her.

"What's more important than my baby's happiness?" She asks.

"I'm not a baby any more Mum."

"I guess not. But honey, people mess up. I mess up, you mess up, time travelling aliens from outer space mess up."

"You can't be from space. You can be from a planet in space, but not from space." I say, repeating what the Doctor told me once. Mum smiles. I made Mum smile, in her dying moments, I made her smile.

"Forgive her." She says. "She's got old eyes. She's seen a lot, I can tell. Don't waste a friendship on one mistake. Promise me Bill."

"I promise." I say. The line on her heart monitor is starting to get more irregular.

"I love you," She says, as I start to cry. "Don't cry. You have nothing to be sorry for. It's my fault. I'm sorry I was never there. I'm sorry you're going to have to have conversations with an imaginary mum. I'm so sorry. I've never been more sorry, but I can't do anything. If I could, I would, but all our days are numbered, and this is my end. Remember I love you always, always and completely, Bill Potts, my baby girl." She reaches for my hand and I take hers and stroke it, and together we both say the same thing in synchronisation.

"I love you." The line on the monitor stays still. I collapse in the Doctor's arms a few minutes later. This is all too much for me.

"Thank you." I whisper. "Thank you." She helps me over to a seat and I sit down.

"You okay?" She asks after a few minutes. I nod.

"I needed to be there." I whisper. I don't know how long we stay like that, her sitting next to me while I cry, but I eventually stop. "I never really knew what I missed out on before. Thank you."

"I'll take you back now." She says, getting up. My mum's words echo in my head. People mess up.

"Wait." I say. "Couldn't we make a few stops on the way back?" I ask. At this very moment my dad is getting a phone call from the hospital that my mum has died. He left my mum when she was diagnosed because he didn't want to get hurt. He knew from the start she wasn't going to survive. He loved her too much so he left her. They didn't get divorced, they just led separate lives. They were only married a few months. They married soon after they found out I was on the way. It was pretty rushed. They had been dating for years before then though.

The phone call that my dad is just about to get is what kills him. He loved my mum so much that he can't live without her in the end. Despite leaving her. He goes to the nearest multi-storey car park and jumps off. Leaving a 6 month old girl as an orphan.

The Doctor turns around and smiles at me. Mum wanted me to travel with her. She's right, I shouldn't ruin a friendship because of a mistake. We've wasted enough time these last six months. Maybe we needed them though. They say time is the best healer. But right now, I've finished healing. I'm ready to travel again. My mum helped me see that. She would have loved this life. So I'm going to travel with the Doctor. We may argue, but people mess up. And that's okay. People may mess up, but people also heal.

 **What did you think? I'm not sure if I will write another story around this storyline with adventures with Bill and the 13** **th** **doctor, certainly not in the next 6 months or so if I do because I have exams this year so I have less time to write fanfiction, but I might eventually come back to it.**

 **There may be some differences between the TV series regarding Bill's family, but that was because I had to make it up because there wasn't a lot of information.**

 **Thank you for reading.**


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